Ischemic heart disease causes mitral regurgitation by the combination of ischemic dysfunction of the papillary muscles, and the dilatation of the left ventricle that is present in ischemic heart disease, with the subsequent displacement of the papillary muscles and the dilatation of the mitral valve annulus. Dilation of the annulus of the mitral valve prevents the valve leaflets from fully coapting when the valve is closed. Mitral regurgitation of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium results in increased total stroke volume and decreased cardiac output, and ultimate weakening of the left ventricle secondary to a volume overload and a pressure overload of the left atrium.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,656 to Bolduc et al. describes a helical fastener having a high retentive surface area. The helical fastener has a first end for enhancing penetration into tissue and a second end comprising a coil sectioning a diameter of the fastener for receiving longitudinal and rotational forces. The helical fasteners are attached to body tissue by a fastener applicator having a proximal portion comprising a handle and an actuator and an elongate distal portion for housing a plurality of fasteners. A transferring action of the actuator provides longitudinal and rotational movement of the fasteners out of the distal portion and into body tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,452 to Kayan describes a surgical tack for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue. The tack includes a pair of legs and an arcuate cross-member. A surgical tack applier is also disclosed, for applying the surgical tack. The applier includes an elongate tubular portion having a jacket with a main channel and a pair of longitudinally extending sub-channels. A rotatable drive rod having a helical thread is coupled to the applier, and the sub-channels receive the legs of the tack. The helical thread receives the arcuate cross-member of the surgical tack. Rotation of the drive rod drives the tack from the distal end of the applier.
US Patent Application Publication 2007/0055206 to To et al. describes devices, methods, and kits for deployment of tissue anchors. In some variations, the devices comprise a shaft defining a lumen for housing at least one anchor therein (the anchor having an eyelet) and a mechanism for deploying the anchor distally from the lumen, wherein the inner diameter of the lumen is the same size or smaller than the diameter of the eyelet of the anchor to be disposed therein when the anchor is in an expanded configuration. In some variations, the methods comprise loading an anchor within a lumen of a shaft (where the anchor comprises an eyelet and the shaft has a slot therethrough), passing a linking member through the slot and through the eyelet of the anchor, and deploying the anchor. Other methods comprise loading an anchor within a lumen of a shaft, and deploying the anchor distally from the lumen.
US Patent Application Publication 2007/0080188 to Spence et al. describes systems and methods for securing tissue including the annulus of a mitral valve. The systems and methods may employ catheter based techniques and devices to plicate tissue and perform an annuloplasty. Magnets may be used for guidance in deploying fasteners from a catheter. The fasteners are cinched with a flexible tensile member.
US Patent Application Publication 2006/0241656 to Starksen et al. describes devices, systems and methods for facilitating positioning of a cardiac valve annulus treatment device, thus enhancing treatment of the annulus. Methods generally involve advancing an anchor delivery device through vasculature of the patient to a location in the heart for treating the valve annulus, contacting the anchor delivery device with a length of the valve annulus, delivering a plurality of coupled anchors from the anchor delivery device to secure the anchors to the annulus, and drawing the anchors together to circumferentially tighten the valve annulus. Devices generally include an elongate catheter having at least one tensioning member and at least one tensioning actuator for deforming a distal portion of the catheter to help it conform to a valve annulus. The catheter device may be used to navigate a subannular space below a mitral valve to facilitate positioning of an anchor delivery device.
US Patent Application Publication 2006/0025787 to Morales et al. describes methods and devices that provide constriction of a heart valve annulus to treat cardiac valve regurgitation and other conditions. Embodiments typically include a device for attaching a cinching or tightening apparatus to a heart valve annulus to reduce the circumference of the annulus, thus reducing valve regurgitation. Tightening devices may include multiple tethered clips, multiple untethered crimping clips, stabilizing devices, visualization devices, and the like. In one embodiment, a plurality of tethered clips is secured circumferentially to a valve annulus, and the tether coupling the clips is cinched to reduce the circumference of at least a portion of the annulus. Methods and devices may be used in open heart surgical procedures, minimally invasive procedures, catheter-based procedures, and/or procedures on beating hearts or stopped hearts.
US Patent Application Publication 2007/0016287 to Cartledge et al. describes an implantable device for controlling shape and/or size of an anatomical structure or lumen. The implantable device has an adjustable member configured to adjust the dimensions of the implantable device. The implantable device is housed in a catheter and insertable from a minimally invasive surgical entry. An adjustment tool actuates the adjustable member and provide for adjustment before, during or after the anatomical structure or lumen resumes near normal to normal physiologic function.
The following patents and patent application publications may be of interest:    U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,296 to Wright et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,279 to Wright et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,116 to Rosenman    U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,539 to Northrup, III et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,338 to Gundry    U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,198 to Wilson et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,288 to Cosgrove et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,289 to Colvin et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,291 to Hlavka et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,164 to Seguin    U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,826 to Liddicoat et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,985 to Hlavka et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,510 to Vidlund et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,176 to Lau    U.S. Pat. No. 7,101,395 to Tremulis et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,660 to Cartledge et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,262 to Saadat    U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,692 to Zollinger et al.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,822 to Shayani    US Patent Application Publication 2002/0087048 to Brock et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2002/0173841 to Ortiz et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2003/0050693 to Quijano et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2003/0167062 to Gambale et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2004/0024451 to Johnson et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2004/0122514 to Fogarty et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2004/0148021 to Cartledge et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2004/0236419 to Milo    US Patent Application Publication 2005/0171601 to Cosgrove et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2005/0055087 to Starksen    US Patent Application Publication 2005/0288781 to Moaddeb et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2006/0069429 to Spence et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2007/0051377 to Douk et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2007/0162111 to Fukamachi et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2007/0255400 to Parravicini et al.    US Patent Application Publication 2008/0004697 to Lichtenstein et al.    PCT Publication WO 01/26586 to Seguin    PCT Publication WO 02/085251 to Hlavka et al.    PCT Publication WO 02/085252 to Hlavka et al.    PCT Publication WO 06/097931 to Gross et al.    PCT Publication WO 07/136,783 to Cartledge et al.    PCT Publication WO 08/068,756 to Gross et al.    PCT Publication WO 10/004,546 to Gross et al.
The following articles may be of interest:    Brennan, Jennifer, “510(k) Summary of Safety and Effectiveness,” January 2008    Dieter R S, “Percutaneous valve repair: Update on mitral regurgitation and endovascular approaches to the mitral valve,” Applications in Imaging, Cardiac Interventions, Supported by an educational grant from Amersham Health pp. 11-14 (2003)    Odell J A et al., “Early Results of a Simplified Method of Mitral Valve Annuloplasty,” Circulation 92:150-154 (1995)    O'Reilly S et al., “Heart valve surgery pushes the envelope,” Medtech Insight 8(3): 73, 99-108 (2006)    Swain C P et al., “An endoscopically deliverable tissue-transfixing device for securing biosensors in the gastrointestinal tract,” Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 40(6): 730-734 (1994)